This invention is an article of manufacture useful in diminishing the eruption of sound which occurs when steam traps intermittently open so as to allow steam and condensate collected in the steam trap to surge into the atmosphere. The invention is also useful in preventing erosion of the ground at which steam trap exhaust pipes are usually directed.
Steam traps are well known to those skilled in the art of transporting steam, particularly those skilled in the art of transporting steam through vessels at higher than atmospheric pressure. As is well known in this art field, the function of the steam trap is to collect the condensate (liquid water condensed from the steam) which is present in the steam flow. As is also well known, the presence of this condensate causes the damaging physical phenomenon known as "water hammer". Hence, the name "steam trap" is a misnomer to the extent that it implies that its purpose is to trap steam. Steam traps are designed to trap and remove condensed water (condensate) from steam lines--not to trap steam.
In practice, steam traps collect this condensate until a predetermined quantity of it has been accumulated within the trap at the pressure of the steam in the pipe line. This predetermined amount then activates a triggering means of the steam trap which opens the steam trap to the atmosphere to let the steam force the condensate out of the trap. Most if not all, of the condensate flashes form liquid from to gaseous form as it surges into the atmosphere, the atmosphere being at lower pressure than the pressure within the steam trap.
Considerable noise is made by this escaping steam and condensate. More importantly, this noise comes in abrupt, unexpected bursts. These bursts are very disquiting to personnel present in the area of the steam trap.
Thus it would be advantageous to have a simple, inexpensive device to muffle these bursts of sounds. However, the muffler can not be one which greatly constricts the surge from the steam trap, for then the trap would not work. This is what prior art mufflers generally do.
It would also be advantageous to have a device which greatly diminishes the erosion of earth which is located beneath most steam traps. This erosion usually comes about in defference to personnel safety considerations. For example, a major safety consideration are burns to such personnel. These safety considerations most often dictate that the burst of steam and condensate intermittently coming from the steam trap be directed downwardly in the direction of the earth beneath the trap in order to avoid burning unwary persons standing or walking nearby. This is usually accomplished by having the steam trap have an exhaust pipe on it which directs the surges of steam and condensate toward the ground. The open end of this exhaust pipe is usually located within about one or two feet of the ground so there will be little hazard of anyone being between the end of the exhaust pipe and the ground.